Dr Bob

Question

Could you check this please?
Voltaic cell---cathode is positive, accepts electrons, reduced, anode is negative, gives up electrons and is oxidized

Electrolytic cell------cathode is negative, accepts electrons and is reduced. Anode is positive, givesup electrons and is oxidized

I can't understand why in one cell the neg electrode is reduced and oxidized in the other and the same with the anode unless the electrolytic one is wrong.
thank you

Answer 1

You are correct with which is the anode and which is the cathode.
The explanation of the difference in the two cells is easy.
The DEFINITION of the anode is
"The anode is where oxidation takes place." Which is the anode and which the cathode has nothing to do with what the sign is. It is ONLY on which is oxidized and which reduced.

If you think about it, though, remember that the electrolytic cell is just the reverse of the voltaic cell so why wouldn't they be reversed?